Download PGA Tour 96

Game Reviews

Game Gear sports fans get a taste of the green with PGA Tour '96. While the green looks good, the slow screen redraw will make you think you're stuck in a sand trap for good.

Although the graphics are slightly better than the Game Boy version's, too many small "enhancements" like the putting grid and the tips before each round really slow the game down.

The music is standard Game Gear tin-speaker surround sound, but the sound effects are below average, and there are no crowd sounds.

Although not as access-ready as the Game Boy, this cart is still a lot of fun. Just like in the real PGA, when the action actually gets going, it's a great game.

reggie posted a review.

Overall rating: 7

The top Genesis golf series has finally teed off on the SNES.

T∙HQ selected the strong elements from the old Genesis games to concoct this fairly enjoyable SNES version, but sharp features like backspin and 3D terrain are absent. Many basics are still here, though: ten pros, eight courses, and a fairly responsive version of PGA Ill's power meter.

Patient gamers will find a good round of golf despite these flaws. While it doesn't top Genesis PGA III, this first SNES outing gets the job done better than its lame Genesis counterpart.

ProTips:

Always underpower pitches by about 5 percent to compensate for the log roll.

Adjust your aim to compensate for winds faster than 10 mph.

reggie posted a review.

Overall rating: 7.5

EA Sports tried to cram its marvelous PlayStation PGA game into a Genesis game, and it just didn't fit. The glaring compromises appear in the erratic graphics and incomplete controls.

Bungled Shot

PGA '96 doesn't step that far ahead of its Genesis precursors. Create your own player or choose from ten pros (like Lee Janzen and Fuzzy Zoeller), then hit one of three courses in Stroke, Skins, Tournament, Match, Shootout, and Practice modes. You can still choose your clubs, adjust the wind, and put draw, fade, and backspin on the ball.

The trouble begins with the controls. As in the PlayStation version, your club swings through a blue arc that you stop in order to set the power and accuracy.

But the shot-planning features of the PlayStation version (the yellow targeting arrow) and of the previous Genesis versions (the swing meter's percentage marks and the putting view) have fallen off the golf game. These shortcomings prevent you from precisely calculating your shot, robbing you of the ability to play tight golf.

ProTip:

If you've developed pinpoint accuracy, go for an eagle on a par 5 hole by maxing out the power on your first two shots so that you land on the green.

On putts that rise up an incline or break to either side, hit the ball a little harder to cover the extra distance.

Shots with wooden clubs have a long roll, which can interfere with precise shots when landing on the green. Use some backspin as a countermeasure.

Graphically, the brightly colored 3D terrain imbues the courses with a more realistic look, and the lifelike digitized sprites move fluidly. In close, though, the 3D effect often looks too choppy and geometrical, like you're playing in a world of triangles.

Worst of all, you'll fidget through an intolerable 5- to 15- second wait every time the screen redraws. The sounds add to the mediocrity with the usual chirpy birds, decent ball noises, and flaky music.

Missed Far

Genesis golfers should stick with PGA Tour IE, the pinnacle of the series. If you're dying for a fresh round of golf, check out the masterful PlayStation game.

reggie posted a review.

Overall rating: 7

PGA Tour 96 is a Super Nintendo Entertainment System and a PC (MS-DOS) golf game that takes place during the 1995 PGA season. Instead of offering several generic courses, the three available (Spyglass Hill, Sawgrass and River Highlands) are in 3D, with height differences visible (as well as the limited 3D abilities of the console allow).
The game features many professional golfing stars and various modes from stroke play to match play and even tournament mode.
Gameplaywise, PGA 96 uses the tried-and-proved triple click system - one to start the swing, other to set strength and a final one for accuracy.